Meaning
Dispatch means to send off something or someone for a specific purpose, or to deal with a task quickly and efficiently. It can also mean a message or report sent quickly, often from a distant place.
As a verb, it usually refers to sending or completing something. As a noun, it refers to the message or act of sending.
Grammar and Usage
Part of speech:
- Verb (transitive): dispatch something / someone
- Noun: a dispatch / dispatches
Verb usage patterns:
-
dispatch + object
- e.g. The company dispatched a truck to deliver the goods.
-
dispatch + object + to + place
- e.g. They dispatched a team to the disaster area.
Noun usage:
-
a dispatch (formal message/report)
- e.g. The journalist sent a dispatch from the war zone.
Common Phrases
- dispatch someone to do something – send a person with a mission
- dispatch goods – send products for delivery
- news dispatch – a report sent to a news organization
- with great dispatch – very quickly and efficiently
Collocations
- dispatch troops / police / vehicles
- dispatch a message / report / parcel
- dispatch center / station / unit
- handle with dispatch
Examples
- The army dispatched reinforcements to the front line.
- A courier was dispatched to deliver the urgent documents.
- The rescue team was dispatched immediately after the earthquake.
- She handled the customer’s complaint with great dispatch.
- The news agency published a dispatch from its foreign correspondent.
- Police were dispatched to the scene of the accident.
- The package was dispatched within 24 hours.
- He dispatched his work quickly and went home early.
Synonyms or Related
- send
- forward
- transmit
- deploy
- expedite
Antonym
- recall
- withhold
- delay
- retain